Inviting Designs

Celebrating 50 Years

2015-02-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

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40th Wedding Anniversary ♥

2014-07-24T15:43:00.000-06:00

When it comes to celebrating a milestone wedding anniversary you want to do it in a special way. Last fall my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and my husband and I, together with my brother and his wife, had the great pleasure of hosting a casual backyard barbecue party with friends and family to help celebrate four decades of wedded bliss.

Taking inspiration from the traditional 40th anniversary gift of rubies, decorations included red tissue poms, potted red flowers and of course, red place settings. For a touch of nostalgia, each menu featured a different wedding photo of the happy couple. Finishing details included classic red and white baker's twine and everything was held together with a miniature wooden clothespin.

Now on to the "yummy stuff"... For the food we wanted to keep it casual, yet fun. We opted to do a slider burger bar - chicken and beef burgers with oodles of toppings, gourmet hot dogs, chicken wings, classic potato chips, and a variety of salads. It was the perfect fare for our outdoor event.

For dessert, guests had their choice of individually packaged slices of apple pie, orchard berry pie or turtle pie from Cutie Pies Bakery in Lacombe. Ah, can you say delicious??? For those who wanted a-la-mode, we pre-scooped ice cream into cupcake liners to make things easier (great Pinterest tip!). We also served up three melon salad and homemade ice cream sandwiches.

Everyone enjoyed a walk down memory lane with our outdoor 'movie' slideshow, complete with a popcorn bar (huge hit!) and stayed late into the night roasting s'mores around the fire.

The evening was a great success, and our parents loved it! It is true what they say - "it's all in the details..." From the food signs and packaging, to the custom menus and popcorn bags - the little touches really helped bring everything together. Well done team and congratulations to the best couple I know ♥

Custom Photo Notepads

2014-05-26T10:16:00.002-06:00

Making lists (and checking them twice!) is so much more fun with our custom photo notepads!

Inviting Designs notepads feature up to 10 different photos, and whatever text you want, on every page. Whether it be a quote, family name or simply just a word, together with your photo(s) these are sure to bring a daily dose of cheer. Great for gift-giving ♥

Place your order here! Note: Order 2 or more and receive 20% off!

Eco-Chic Wood Invitations

2010-05-15T13:09:00.004-06:00

Wedding invites don’t always have to be made of paper. Impress your guests and set the tone for a garden or nature-themed wedding by sending them eco-chic wooden invitations that they can keep and cherish as souvenirs too! The wood grain adds a completely new dimension to already beautiful designs and definitely sets them apart from the expected invitation.

This is an invite that we recently completed for a wonderful couple. It was a whimsical, modern invite printed on curly maple wood. We also designed a coordinating map and accommodation card that was printed on a thick white cardstock - so fun! To see more unique wood invitations, as well as many other unique designs, please visit our website.

Paper Love

2010-04-22T09:41:00.005-06:00

Oh la la! I am absolutely in love with these incredible paper creations by the incredibly talented Carol Gearing.

All the blooms you see here have been handmade and crafted with love, and all with paper! Part of a series titled Papercut Garden, each petal is hand cut out of handmade ivory cotton rag paper using scissors and a scalpel. Sold as single blooms, or custom-framed wall boxes. Now that's a piece of art that would definitely spark conversation!

With the flowers starting to bloom outside, why not consider a garden that will last forever...no watering required.

Celebrate Spring with Inviting Designs!

2010-04-02T10:44:00.003-06:00

We are thrilled to announce that we are offering a $100 credit towards your reception stationery with every invitation order placed over $500. Programs, menus, table numbers, escort cards, seating charts, favor tags.... the possibilities are endless!

Defining Your Colour Palette

2010-03-29T21:37:00.007-06:00

After setting the date, selecting the venue, dreaming about your gown... the next thought on your mind might be your wedding colors. Determining your color palette is one of the first steps in creating a wedding that is uniquely you... a palette that compliments your venue, that defines your look and that allows you to design a wedding that reflects your own style and personality.

Here are some things you should consider when choosing your colour palette...

1. Think about the season. Darker, richer colours are suitable for winter, while bright colours are more suitable for summer. And don’t forget... flowers are generally seasonal, so consider the types of flowers available as they will compliment your colour theme.

2. Don’t go colour crazy. Keep in mind that whatever colours you choose will be incorporated in your wedding stationery, table linens, reception decor, attendants' attire, etc. Too many colours can be distracting. If you want a monochromatic feel, vary shades of the same color to add depth and interest.

3. Think about what makes you... you. It’s not uncommon to choose colours that have a special meaning to you or someone who will play a significant role in your wedding. Many brides choose colours based on their own liking and personal taste, regardless of season or style.

This handy online color scheme generator can help you find complementary colors or a range of shades. Not a fan of online tools? No problem. Take a trip to your local paint store and peruse the paint swatches. Those strips of paint color options have been expertly created by interior designers to pair the best colors together.

Remember to keep your theme and color trendy, consult with your partner and have fun with it! If all else fails, pick up a few magazines, grab some color markers and let your creativity shine.

Happy planning...

Take Your Seat

2010-03-14T13:16:00.005-06:00

Since you’re going to take on the daunting task of selecting who is going to sit at which table, you may as well have fun with it. There are so many creative ways to present the escort cards & table names/numbers - here are some ideas to inspire found around the web.

Save the Date!

2010-03-05T20:36:00.006-07:00

Alas, the wedding season is upon us... but brides, first things first, what about the save-the-date card? Don’t panic, the beauty of save-the-date cards is that they can be funny and personal, or just imaginative and clever. Nobody expects them to be anything near as polished as the invitation. In fact, people expect them to be quite lighthearted.

If you have already found your wedding photographer, maybe you can use your engagement photo shoot as an opportunity to work with your photographer to come up with some unique shots that can be the centerpiece of the save-the-date. After all, this makes the session a lot more fun and it gives you the opportunity to test out your photographer’s creativity before the big day.

To help stir your creative juices I thought I’d show you a few of my favorite save-the-dates found around the web.

sugar cookie
childhood photos
cableknit sweater
photo booth strip
coconut shell
calendar
save-the-date stickers
starfish
ticket to love

Whichever route you go, just make your save-the-date cards are something to remember!

Origami Heart Invites

2010-02-23T10:26:00.005-07:00

I LOVE these adorable origami heart invites by Amy of Eat Drink Chic. You can tell so much care went into them - the edges of the translucent pocket are even hand-stitched!

You can read more about these unique origami heart invitations here. There is also a template you can download to create your own!

Real Weddings: Tammy & Brian

2010-02-18T16:56:00.002-07:00

We had the pleasure of working with Tammy and Brian on all of their wedding stationery needs from their save-the-dates and invitations to their photo thank you cards and everything in between. They were married at the beautiful Eagle Ranch Golf Resort in Invermere, British Columbia, surrounded by family and friends. With a colour scheme of chocolate brown, ivory and the palest of blush pinks, we created a custom invitation featuring a whimsical woodland graphic. The same graphic was carried over to all their coordinating items, tying everything together for a complete look. This was definitely one of my favorite stationery projects and I am so glad I was a part of this gorgeous wedding!

To see Tammy and Brian’s wedding stationery, as well as many other unique designs, please visit our website.

Beautiful Backyard Wedding

2010-02-16T17:50:00.007-07:00

Outdoor weddings always seem so romantic and charming.

Check out this wedding from OnceWed.com where the couple tied the knot in their neighbor's garden. The guests' seating assignments were written on chalkboards at the entrance of the garden and sparkly cafe lights were strung up around the yard.

Chunky wood tables and matching chairs rounded out the look of a fancy and cozy backyard dinner. Tables were decorated with curly willow down the centre to create the look of a natural runner - a great budget-friendly table accent and goes beautifully with the rustic, outdoor theme. Mason jars and tiny bud vases held bright peonies, dahlias, kale, roses, and other fun florals and fresh fruit and candles finished off the warm and lush decor feel. Absolutely gorgeous!

Here is another outdoor wedding that we had the pleasure of working on with Amanda & Gabriel. We designed an over-sized folio invitation in soft shades of green, pearlized latté and ivory - a perfect compliment to the outdoor garden setting at Rouge Restaurant in Calgary, Alberta.

The modern simplicity of their stationery was carried through to their accordion-folding ceremony programs, favor packaging and woven fans that graced the guests' chairs. From start to finish - an intimate and elegant affair!

To see Amanda and Gabriel's wedding stationery, as well as many other unique designs, please visit our website.

A Sweet Treat

2010-02-11T11:17:00.007-07:00

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I’d share this sweet download from Twig and Thistle. They have two different designs to choose from – all you need to do is decide which one and then fill ‘em up with cookies, brownies, or any other sweet treat – so much better than a box of chocolates!

DIY Valentine's Day Brownie Bags
DIY Valentine's Goodie Bags

After the Show

2010-02-08T14:07:00.008-07:00

I'd like to thank everyone who visited us at the With This Ring… Bridal Gala on Sunday in Red Deer. It was a terrific day!

I met so many brides and had a wonderful time showing off all of our designs.

A shot of my new tradeshow display - it folds down completely flat and provides lots of extra display space - very pleased with my purchase!

A close-up of the beautiful flowers from stems - they were gorgeous and smelled delightful!

Thanks again to everyone that came to visit my booth and showed interest in booking your wedding. I look forward to speaking with you in the days and weeks to come. Happy planning...

Inviting Designs website up and running... finally!

2010-02-05T12:01:00.002-07:00

I have put off finishing my dear own website for quite some time now. Just the very thought of putting it together brought spasms of headaches and I just about looked for any excuse to avoid it. Although I know how important it was for the site to be up in a timely fashion, there simply aren't enough hours in a day, and I never seemed to be able to find time to sit down and focus entirely on the site. So... after many hours of changing, tweaking, updating, and uploading, I would like to present to you, my newly designed Inviting Designs website! Hooray!

I will continue to add new designs and details and be much more diligent in keeping everything current. Check it out and let me know what you think.

With This Ring... Bridal Gala

2010-02-03T11:07:00.003-07:00

Well, here it is Wednesday already and I am knee-deep in trade show prep for the upcoming With This Ring... Bridal Gala on Sunday in Red Deer. I have had the pleasure of working with so many great couples over the last year and I am trying to come up with creative ways to display all of the new designs.

As always, I am looking forward to working with all of the other vendors, as well as meeting all of the brides-to-be (with it being Superbowl Sunday, I doubt we will be seeing many grooms…)

Located at the Parkland & Prairie Pavilions at Westerner Park in Red Deer, the show runs from 10 – 4 with two fashion shows at 11:30 and 2. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, 403 340 4455 or may also be purchased online. Cost: $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door.

Looking forward to seeing you there… until then, take care.

welcome

2010-02-02T21:31:00.008-07:00

I'm so excited to finally have a blog of my own. I’m new at this so bear with me as I get started sharing news and up-to-date information on the world of wedding planning, stationery, and all things paper! Here, I will chronicle my current stationery projects, along with some ideas that I hope will inspire you to transform your creative instincts into events that will be remembered and talked about for years to come.

I invite you to share your comments and thoughts as we go and I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much I love creating it!

Now, let's get to it!